My NOBCO internship experience at NACo: ‘One I will never forget’

I began my internship with the National Organization of Black County Officials (NOBCO) Jan. 29, 2018. I obtained this internship through a school program that provided housing for a semester in Washington D.C., a class once a week and a full semester of credits. My time with NOBCO was transformative.

I met so many amazing people, such as Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, who spoke at NACo’s Legislative Conference in 2018. I have now attended two National Organization of Black County Officials Economic Development Conferences (NOBCO EDC) and two NACo Annual Conferences, one where I addressed members at a workshop.

The first NACo Annual Conference I attended was in Davidson County (Nashville), Tenn. The hustle and bustle of this conference was overwhelming at first, but I quickly became comfortable. I served as NOBCO’s representative at our table, meeting and greeting anyone who stopped by to share what NOBCO is all about. We mixed condoms in with our candy dish to bring attention to the intersections of health, HIV and prevention. HIV is something people don’t typically enjoy talking about because of the stigma that surrounds it, but we do our best to keep everyone educated because HIV does not discriminate or wait for someone to bring it up.

My favorite part about NACo conferences is that even after the meetings are over, there are plenty of events. Our visit to Woolworth on 5th in Nashville taught me the history, up close, of the movement led by students, who began the process of lunch counter desegregation.

The last day of the conference showed NACo at its most exciting — Election Day for 2nd vice president. I have never experienced something so intense and informative. Many county officials that step up to the microphone to announce their county’s vote begin with a couple of facts about their county, and the energy in the room is a roller coaster of different emotions.

The second NOBCO EDC I attended was in Wayne County (Detroit), Mich. At this conference, I heard from four presidential candidates; Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Miramar, Fla. Mayor Wayne Messam and entrepreneur Andrew Yang of New York. I learned a lot about each candidate during their address to conference members, and had the opportunity to meet and speak with Yang. I thoroughly enjoyed the opening reception, which took place at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History where I was able to walk through the museum, at my own pace, giving me the chance to really absorb all the history that surrounded me.

One of the bonuses of working at NOBCO: Living in Washington, D.C. It allowed me to attend events I would otherwise not have the opportunity to, such as the screening of True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality at the National Archives Museum. At this event, I learned about Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala., and the work he does to find justice for those accused.

I heard him speak about his work and what it means to him and was even able to meet him and have him sign my copy of Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. I was also introduced to his Community Remembrance initiatives.

I was able to speak to members about the initiative in July at the joint National Association of Black County Officials (NABCO)/NOBCO meeting during NACo’s 84th Annual Conference in Clark County, Nev. It was a great experience to speak to county officials about a way in which they could help preserve history. I was met with a lot of questions, congratulations and constructive feedback.

Working with NOBCO has been an eye-opening experience. Before starting this internship, I didn’t know anything about county government and how important it is. NOBCO focuses on many issues, and I spent the most time working on healthcare, technology, criminal justice and the 2020 Census. I’ve also learned a lot about things such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Smoke-Free Policy, the 3DaysCount bail reform campaign, 5G deployment, Smart Counties and the Census.

My assignments allowed me to learn new things, such as the social media project I did in February 2018 when I posted African American “Sheros” for black history month, and this year when I posted black history facts. My experience at NOBCO will be one I will never forget, and one that has taught me skills, and provided me with opportunities that will benefit me in the future.